Why Should I Remember 9/11? This question and several like this have swallowed the media for the past month and continue to be the focus. Narrowing this question specifically towards the effects of 9/11 on Muslim lives. And they range tremendously.
As a result, the U.S. directly occupied Iraq and Afghanistan for the past decade with no end in sight. Muslims suffered silently and publicly suffering countless crimes of murder, rape, imprisonment in their lands, and torture-filled confinement in secret foreign locations. The list goes on, as the details of these horrendous acts can fill hundreds of pages, if not thousands. Indirect occupation also plagued the Muslims in Yemen and Pakistan’s drone attacks and Bangladesh’s so-called “counter-terrorism acts”. Not to forget the increased torture of Muslims in the Central Asians States of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. The consequences of 9/11 are the Muslims’ daily reminder in their homelands.
Nonetheless, European and American Muslims experience the effects of 9/11 in a different manner. Muslims, especially those with brown to darker shades of skin, many of which have endured some form of hate crime. Women who wear the hijab whether it is a jilbab or a simple headscarf also endure verbal or physical harassment. Muslim communities have been targeted in their mosques, spied on, falsely accused of acts or ties to various militant groups. All the while being obligated to tolerate highly discriminatory new laws, making it a struggle to claim oneself as a Muslim.
Yet Muslims in the West continually attempt to integrate themselves by conforming to Western standards. Their Islamic principles have been considerably watered down. Many Muslims have held the stance of apologetic helpless victims of the very few Muslims who use militant methods to achieve their means thereby tarnishing the peaceful loving image of Islam. Moderate Islam has been heavily propagated whether it is from political agendas, Muslim U.S. conferences like ISNA, MSA, ICNA, or through Inter-Faith initiatives. “Given time, American Muslims, like all other religious minorities before them, will adjust their legal and theological traditions, if necessary, to accord with American values,” as stated by the NYT’s Eliyahu Stern. Many government sponsored programs use different routes to break down the fiber of Islam in the Muslim. All the while, Muslims are vilified on all mediums from the newly discovered FBI manual on Muslims to the mainstream media greatly promoting Islamophobia.
Even though millions of dollars have been spent to purge out any non-peaceful aspects of Islam, the Imams are still considered the targets of the radical movements and terrorist crimes. Anti-Islam media bashing occurs on a daily basis, new laws are aimed at stripping Muslims of their rights to worship. No hijab, no burqas, no public prayers, no minarets, no new mosque construction. The more Islam is subjected to the “Moderate version” of Islam, the harder Islam is attacked. The latest hot topic is the issue of banning Shariah Law in Western lands, as if Congress is going to replace the U.S. Constitution with Shariah Law.
Muslims try to blame the attacks on radical groups; however, it is foreign and domestic policy that encourage the targeting of Islam. What aggravates the situation even more is the weak and pathetic stance specific Muslims take to try to brush off other Muslims’ reasoning for resisting military occupation, for wanting and seeking to implement full shariah laws in Muslim countries, despite what Glenn Beck babbles on his FOX show.
Critics draw attention to the very principles of Islam which are undeniable to both Muslims and non-Muslims. These thinkers attack Moderate Muslim claims for their conflicting interpretations of the Quran verses and Prophet Mohammad’s (pbuh) hadiths. They also claim them to be full of self-pity playing the role of pathetic attention-seekers; which sparks huge reactions of disgust from the American public, inciting more spiteful propaganda. The general public rejects the Muslim not because s/he is a more law-abiding citizen than the actual inhabitants or not they are usually a higher educated more successful citizen, but because s/he is Muslim, whether practicing or not. Michael Mukasey stated before the Manhattan Institute’s 9/11 Program, “I do not think we can treat even the death of bin Laden, as welcome as that is, as even the end of the beginning. I think we can do that when there are more Islamists who are concerned that their movement is giving up the goal of imposing their will on the west than there are Islamists who dream of achieving that goal. I don’t think we are quite there yet.”
Muslims are able to possess a clearer understanding of Islam. It is not a complicated ideology requiring great study and intellect. The Quran is clear and decisive in its verses regarding jihad and Shariah Law. It should not be a debatable issue in a Muslim conference on how to minimize the reactions of non-Muslims to jihad or the many other issues because we live in their country.
As a Muslim, take a clear strong stance that Islam is a complete way of life. Even though many aspects can not be implemented due to the absence of an Islamic State, does not mean one has the right to dismiss Allah swt commands. As a Muslim, strive towards understanding the true nature of Islam without fear of being rejected by Western society. Despite the constant back-bending to the politicians and leaders, Muslims have only opened themselves to harsher attacks instead of embracing their right to freely express their thoughts and worship in the way deemed by their religion. Instead of being vulnerable to the rejection and profiling, be proud in your position. Leave your apologetic weak attitude for it is what led Muslims of all races to such humiliating subjugation. After all, Western democracies pride themselves on their Constitutional rights of personal liberties. Why the double standard for Muslims???
Muslims are a part of a vast Ummah….the very Ummah that is and has been sacrificing their blood to overthrow the very tyrants the West massively supports since December during the Arab Spring, Arab Summer, Arab Autumn and whatever season it takes to stop their dictators. As Muslims living in the West, we must stand strong for our brothers and sisters, live by our Quran. Live by our Islam, live for our Hereafter. Proudly support them by voicing our given right to oppose the violent regimes which are heavily backed by Western regimes. Why portray ourselves as weak victims rather being part of this change?
Winston Churchill said in November 1942, after the British victory at El-Alamein, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”
- Manal Bade
Source: www.aljunnah.com
Loading ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment